


chanced upon

by aurcras



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, I hope this counts as fluff, Steambaby Shenanigans, Zutara Fluff Exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:27:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26582137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurcras/pseuds/aurcras
Summary: her papa's kisses are for her mama only.for the zutara fluff exchange.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 166
Collections: Zutara Fluff Exchange





	chanced upon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mauve_Avenger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mauve_Avenger/gifts).



> hi there! it's your gifter for the zutara fluff exchange! i tried my best to add some painted lady in this (even though it's more implied than anything), and i hope you don't mind it's steambaby focused. because of the strict word limits, i would've gone into much more detail, but i hope this is enough to be called fluff haha.
> 
> i also tried hard to get into the perspective of a child, but it is really difficult.
> 
> anyway, i hope you do enjoy it!

_At the age of seven, Kya learns many things._

Kya first learnt from Grandpa Iroh that she was to be a firebending prodigy when she was only four. Her Papa said he wasn’t as skilled as she was at her age, but Kya didn’t think that was true. He was the Fire Lord, and hence the strongest firebender, and she told him she was proud to be his daughter.

_(It had made him cry, even more than when he first found out she made fire, and her Mama had to quickly wrap them both in the warmest of warm hugs before he stopped. When Kya asked them both about it once they were smiling again, they had told her they were happy tears._

_She had made them so happy they cried._

_It made her cry too.)_

Her Papa told her that because she is a firebender, she has a strong friendship with the sun, just as her Mama does with the moon. When the sun rises in the sky, firebenders also rise from their beds, but Kya finds herself waking even before the sun is out.

It’s why the Crown Princess is sneaking out of her bedroom so early in the morning, creeping to her parents’ room. She wanted to be the first person they saw when they started the day, and today had been no different. 

Except it had been, when she hears a strange sound coming from their balcony just as she gets ready to wake them. She stiffens, turning away from the bed as she squints through the darkness. 

It sounds like there are people talking. 

She decides to step closer to the balcony to take a look. Kya crouches, hiding behind one of the big wardrobes as she spies on the people on the balcony. 

It’s still dark, but the light from the moon helps get a better look at the intruders. She spots two figures standing close together, and she scrunches her nose. She has to make them go away before her parents wake up.

* * *

_At the age of seven, Kya knows many things._

She knows that when she watches the two people closely, one of them is definitely her Papa.

Kya can only really see silhouettes (her Mama taught her that word), but one of them is tall enough to be her Papa. They also have a small bun on top of their head like her Papa usually wears, and Kya can faintly make out the reds of the robes he’s wearing. 

She also knows that he isn’t supposed to be up this early; the sun isn’t up yet, but he’s already on the balcony.

And she knows that the other person with him is definitely not her Mama. 

Her Mama is still sleeping. There isn’t enough light for her to check, but she swears it’s true. 

Her Mama also doesn’t wear long robes that reach the floor like this lady does, and she doesn’t wear a big, round hat. It’s definitely _not_ her Mama. 

Kya’s eyes narrow at the closeness between her Papa and the lady. She can’t hear what they’re saying, but maybe her Papa is just telling her good morning. He is the sweetest like that.

Except when she watches her Papa suddenly lean down and kiss the lady in the same way she had seen him do to her Mama countless times before, Kya thinks otherwise.

* * *

_At the age of seven, Kya discovers many things._

“Papa! Get away from her!” she yells angrily, running to pull her Papa away from the other lady.

“Kya?”

The two adults pull away from each other in shock as Kya tugs on her Papa’s robe harder.

She refuses to let them continue. Her Papa can only kiss her Mama, no one else.

In her rush to pull her Papa away, she doesn’t notice that her foot steps onto some of the robes the lady is wearing, and Kya shrieks in surprise when she suddenly trips. 

Two arms catch her from behind, Kya looking up to see the lady staring at her. It’s too dark to properly see anything, but when she sees the small red markings on her face, she wants to scream again.

Kya tugs her arm away from her roughly, fixing the scariest expression she can muster. She steps in front of her Papa and spreads her arms wide protectively. 

“Stay away from my Papa!” she yells loudly, hoping her Mama will hear. 

“Kya—” her Papa starts to speak, but she shakes her head. Her Papa is under some sort of spell! This lady is to blame for everything.

“You can’t take my Papa away from my Mama! He only loves her!” she declares, her small hands balling into even tinier fists. 

The lady takes a step forward, and Kya’s fists tighten. “Stay away!”

But the lady doesn’t listen as she continues walking forward, crouching down only once she’s in front of her. 

“Kya, it’s me,” the lady says softly, and Kya stiffens. 

She watches as the lady removes the hat on her head, revealing the woman who had been hidden underneath. 

She stares into familiar blue eyes in shock. “Mama?”

* * *

“Kya! Kya, quick! You have to see something!”

The Crown Princess swats away at her younger brother in annoyance but Lu Ten is adamant this is something she must see. He grabs her by the arm, pulling her away before she can argue.

“Lu Ten! What is it—”

He doesn’t say anything, continuing to drag her along until they finally reach the turtleduck pond. She glances at him in confusion, but the boy only leads her forward until they are standing directly underneath the large tree. 

Lu Ten points upward, Kya following his finger to spot their parents’ balcony.

There, standing in the same place as that one night many years ago, are her parents, arms wrapped around each other in a tight hug. 

“Why is Mama hugging the Blue Spirit?”

_At the age of seven, Lu Ten makes a discovery._


End file.
